Former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said CNN and those boycotting the White House Christmas Party are "doing a disservice" to a "gracious" change President Trump made to the invitation list.

Spicer said that, rather than sending invitations to news bureaus, the Trumps opened the invitations to technicians and behind-the-scenes media employees who work in the briefing room every day.

"These media types... are doing a disservice to a gracious act that the president and first lady have offered," he said.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff of California said that "people have suffered enough" because of President Trump and that a real leader would re-open the part of the government that has been shuttered since December.